Offroad Trip Report: Palm Wash & Calcite Mine Trail, Anza Borrego, CA

The_Roadie

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Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
Posted elsewhere a few months ago, but this sort of thread tends to serve as inspiration for mods, and to show how they're actually functional in the field. Enjoy!

Shakedown cruise for the RTT, and shockingly enough, Mrs. Roadie insisted on going as long as I promised it would not be freezing. Forecast was for 75 high, 50 low, so she packed up. Problem was, I neglected to check for wind, and a front was coming through and the peak gusts were 50 MPH! Ick. Subsides after 3AM, but sleeping before that was difficult for the rain fly flapping. We deployed for practice and packed up the changing room because of the wind, and had to use rocks to hold down the tent overhang lines because I forgot to pack my sand stakes or corkscrews, and the sand was too loose for regular stakes. 100 pound rocks worked fine.

Met my company owner out there with his built Jeep, but he's mostly a backpacker, so the picture of his tent is minimalist.

After the wind blew through, we were treated to the best visibility I have ever had in the area I'd been to over a dozen times - 100+ miles. And perfect hiking temperature, so we went into a short slot canyon I hadn't seen mentioned before in the usual hiking guides.

There has to be a calendar-worthy shot in here somewhere.

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Life hangs on in the most difficult places

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New kitchen table stove shelf thingie

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My boss' car camping table.

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I am NOT HAPPY with this wind....

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Sandstone loves to flake off and fall in blocks. Don't camp under overhangs.

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The_Roadie

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Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
More pics:

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Calcite crystals, the reason for the mine road. These were used in WW2 bombsights because of their unique optical qualities. (birefringence, if you want to Google to learn more)

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HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
Some really good pics there. It would be nice to have some time to explore the west coast.
 

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